


Got nothing on my mind but you

by webelongtogetheralways



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:47:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23571835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/webelongtogetheralways/pseuds/webelongtogetheralways
Summary: As we won’t be seeing Vanity on our screens until the middle of next week, I felt inspired to write a little something based off what we know so far surrounding Vanessa’s first upcoming chemotherapy session.
Relationships: Charity Dingle/Vanessa Woodfield
Kudos: 45





	Got nothing on my mind but you

**Author's Note:**

> TW for those who have emetophobia.
> 
> Not quite sure if this is any good so let me know if it’s worth continuing or not in the comments :)

Charity has spent the entirety of the week making a structured plan in order for today to go as smooth and stress-free as possible for Vanessa. 

In between visiting hours after Vanessa’s surgery, her shifts at The Woolpack and the everyday demands at home, Charity had found herself frantically scouring any articles she could get her hands on for tips and advice on what is best to pack in a chemo bag. 

Although Vanessa had insisted that she didn’t need anything new as she already had enough fluffy bed socks, comfortable clothes and blankets to last her through her treatment, Charity wouldn’t take no for an answer and made sure two of each item was added to the cart.

As a result, ever since she’d arrived home, Vanessa had signed for more Amazon Prime parcels than she’d been able to count. Albeit her initial frustration at how often she was having to answer the door, Vanessa couldn’t help but feel deeply moved by the lengths Charity was going to for her. 

From Charity’s continuous attempts at making various flavours of soup with her new favourite kitchen appliance, none of which seem to be getting much tastier; to Charity ordering her a personalised pillow with ‘Yorkshire’s Best Vet’ printed above a picture of a Chinchilla, Vanessa had suddenly found herself crying out of love more often than fear. 

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Charity knows that Vanessa has been awake most of the night if the fidgeting was anything to go by, but to her surprise, Vanessa is softly snoring away by the time she wakes up. 

As carefully as she can, Charity removes the arm ghosting her waist and gently places it atop of where she’d just moved from; thankful when it doesn’t wake her sleeping fiancée.

The unusual silence Charity is met with as she makes her way downstairs indicates that everyone in the household is still snoring away.

Knowing Vanessa’s appetite isn’t up to much recently, Charity decides to just pop two slices of bread in the toaster before spreading a thin layer of butter on top of them just how she knows Vanessa likes it. 

With a cup of milky tea in one hand and a plate in the other, Charity begins to make her way back upstairs. Just as she is about to open the door into their bedroom and gently wake her sleeping fiancée up with some light breakfast in bed, she hears a sound she knows she’ll have to get used to in the near future. The sound of somebody chucking their guts up. 

Moses had been complaining about having a sore tummy before going to bed last night to which Vanessa had made a comment about it probably being due to all the sweets and ice cream Charity had let the boys consume as a way of keeping them distracted for a little while. Initially, Charity had been filled with slight indignation at the accusation, but in this very moment, she’s beginning to think Vanessa had a point.

Charity acts hastily; placing the items in her hands onto the nearest surface she can find before getting the famous sick bucket out of the airing cupboard. As soon as she enters the boys’ room, Moses has tears rolling down his cheeks and to the human eye, it’s evident that he isn’t well. 

Charity runs over beside him, bucket to hand, and tries her best to reassure him that he’s going to be just fine.

“Great,” Charity thinks to herself as she rubs her son’s back, “a sick child on today of all days is just what we need.” 

Charity is close to praying that he’ll only be sick the once and that it’s as a result of the poor diet she fed him the night before rather than a nasty bug - especially with how Vanessa needs to avoid any sort of sickness wherever possible. However, twenty minutes pass by with Moses being sick another two times and his temperature has started to rise. 

“My poor baba, what am I to do with you, eh?” Charity says softly to Moses whilst also genuinely wondering how she’s going to go about getting somebody to look after him today.

After getting out a blanket for Moses to replace the duvet she is having to throw in the wash, Charity asks Johnny, who is silently sat in bed cuddling his comfort teddy, to go and wake Noah up and tell him that she needs him to look after Moses for a few minutes.

With that, Johnny scampers out the door and begins to wake up his brother who soon succumbs to Johnny’s persistence and reluctantly takes over from her. 

Although Vanessa’s tea is practically lukewarm by now and the toast less appetising than before, she still decides to take it in for her fiancée. 

As she uses her elbow to manoeuvre the door open, she sees that Vanessa is slightly sprawled across her side of the bed and on the verge of waking up. 

For a few moments, it feels like everything is just how it used to be before Vanessa’s diagnosis. Her fiancée looks peaceful; no worry lines stitched across her forehead and no sudden clutch when pain riddles her body. However, Charity knows these moments will not last.

“Morning sleepyhead.” Charity says from the doorway as Vanessa rubs her eyes; yet to fully emerge out of her slumber. 

“Morning, what time s’it?” Vanessa asks before gently shifting herself over to her side to allow charity to sit down. 

“Still quite early babe, try to get this down you.” Charity says as she sits down and offers up the items in her hands. 

Although Vanessa doesn’t feel particularly hungry, she knows she needs to have something in her stomach before chemo and she appreciatively takes a bite out of one of the slices and washes it down with a gulp of tea. 

“Not to complain, but are you sure you boiled the kettle?” Vanessa asks with disgust written all over her face at the temperature of the beverage before she places it on her side table. 

“I’m sorry babe, I made it about half an hour ago, was hoping it wouldn’t chill so quick.” Charity replied with a sigh as she put her head in her hands.

“What’s up?” Vanessa asks, concern evident in her voice. She attempts to comfort her fiancée but the pain in her side advises her against it. 

“It’s nothing for you to be worrying about, babe. Moses has just come down with something that’s all and I’m trying to think of who I can call to look after him today.”

Vanessa pauses for a while - clearly pondering something before coming out with it. 

“Charity, if you need to stay at home to be with him instead of coming with me today you ca-“ 

“Ness, if you think I’m going to miss your first chemo session you can think again.” Charity interrupts, determination laced in her tone.

Vanessa gives her a weak smile in return before picking at the rest of her toast.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

It’s currently half eight in the morning and Vanessa’s chemo session begins in just over an hour. 

With Vanessa getting ready for the day ahead, Charity is sat with Moses and is frantically going through all her contacts to see if anyone’s free to look after her sick little boy.

But alas, Chas has a doctors appointment with Eve, Tracy has a shift at the B&B which she can’t get out of at such short notice, the kids have mocks so they can’t bunk off and everyone else she can think to ask comes up with a bunch of excuses as to why they’re not available. “How typical,” Charity thinks.

In fear of Moses having a bug, Vanessa and Charity made the decision to keep Johnny off nursery for the day too. With Moses napping and Johnny occupied with watching Paw Patrol on the tablet, Charity decides to go and talk to Vanessa.

“Have you managed to find anyone to look after the kids?” Vanessa asks nonchalantly, checking her bag for the third time to make sure she has everything she needs.

“Not yet babe, but I’m sure if I keep ringing round I’ll find someone.” 

Vanessa stops what she’s doing and checks the time on her phone, the chances of finding anybody at this rate are beyond slim and she doesn’t have the energy to think of any other way. 

“Charity, just stay home with the boys, I’ll be fine.” 

Charity goes to protest but instead lets out an exasperated sigh. “I’m letting you down again aren’t I?” 

“Charity, it’s out of our control,” Vanessa replies, not quite answering Charity’s question. “Besides, he’ll be wanting his mum over anyone else anyhow.” 

“Remember what I said at the hospital? Are you sure you’ll be okay on your own?” 

Vanessa smiles as she thinks back to Charity scoring her a visit to the chemo suite - even if Charity’s methods as to how that happened were questionable. 

“I’ll keep you updated as much as I can.” Vanessa promises as she reaches out and takes her fiancées hands in hers. “Plus, with the amount of trashy magazines you’ve bought me for today, I’ll only have my head buried in them anyway even if you were there.” 

“Charming that,” Charity replies with mock offence. “Here I was thinking I was more entertaining than the likes of Victoria Beckham and the Kardashians.” 

“You have your moments.” Vanessa jokes before giving Charity a quick kiss and heading towards the stairs.

“I’m just going to say goodbye to the boys and then I’ll get a move on. It could take a while trying to get a taxi and I don’t want to risk being late.” 

“Course, babe.” Charity replies before reaching for her phone again just to make sure a miracle hadn’t happened whilst it had been in her pocket for a few minutes.

To no surprise, it hadn’t.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Fifteen minutes later, Charity was assisting Vanessa in putting on her coat. 

“As soon as I can find someone to come look after the kids, I’ll be down at the hospital like a shot, you hear me?” 

“I won’t hold my breath but thank you.” Vanessa says as she reaches out for her fiancées hand and mindlessly strokes her thumb.

“Call me if you need me, okay?” 

“I will.” Vanessa replies, looking on at Charity with adoration. Just as Charity goes in for a kiss, Moses begins to cry for her upstairs. 

“I think that’s your cue.”

Charity sighs and tries to savour the contact for a few more moments before a beep sounds outside, signalling that the Hotten Taxi has arrived. 

“And I think that’s your cue.” Charity repeats back to her, making both of them laugh. 

They pull apart and Charity gently adjusts the bag on Vanessa’s shoulder to make it as painless as possible which makes her tear up at the small but loving gesture. 

“I love you.” Vanessa says as she turns to leave.

“I love you too, babe.” Charity returns, her eyes just as glassy as her fiancée’s. 

With that, Charity heads up the stairs to comfort Moses and subtly wipes the tears from her cheeks which seem to have no desire to stop falling. 

Vanessa, in the back of the taxi, finds herself doing the same.


End file.
